


If You Call, I Will Come

by TheEeveeTamer



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: (Eventual) Post-Time Skip, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Azure Moon Canon, Background Annette/Mercedes, Background Felix/Sylvain, Beta!Dedue, Beta/Omega, Canon-Typical Anti-Duscur Racism, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mutual Pining, No Byleth, Omega friendships, Omega!Dimitri, Overprotective Dedue, Pack Dynamics, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Self-Loathing, first heat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-05 08:47:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20486108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEeveeTamer/pseuds/TheEeveeTamer
Summary: There were always late bloomers, but Dimitri never thought that he would be one of them. At sixteen years old not a soul expected him to present as anything. Now he must learn to adjust to life as an Omega, and learn to navigate his relationships with his new pack.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this real quick whilst overcome by the DimiDue feels so forgive any mistakes.
> 
> This story will have trigger warning moments. Any trigger warnings will be posted in the end author's note.
> 
> See the end note of this chapter for trigger warnings.

When he presented at age sixteen there was no one there to explain it to him.

He woke up panting and crying in the dead of the night, mouth open in a silent scream as the worst (physical) pain he’d felt in his life tore through his stomach and numbed his fingertips. Was this the end of him? Had some assassin snuck into his quarters and attempted (succeeded?) at removing him from this world?

He was struck by how unafraid of that notion he was, but only briefly before his survival instinct kicked in and spurred him to action. He pressed the flat of his palms up under his shirt and ran them across the smooth skin of his abdomen, expecting to find a poisoned dagger or some similarly sinister instrument piercing his midsection. It was the only explanation his hazy brain could conjure that would account for the burning in his belly and the wetness pooling around his thighs. But alas, there was nothing but firm muscle, rising and falling faster than the beat of a wyvern’s wings.

And then he felt it.

The _ need. _

It quickly crawled in and settled at the pit of his stomach. The agony was still there, but it was dulled. Unimportant compared to the emptiness he felt, the desire for something he couldn’t quite comprehend. His mind and body desynced, one desperately trying to catch up to the knowledge and understanding of the other.

The result: Sheer, blinding panic. It all changed faster than he could blink; how could his brain possibly be expected to keep up? His is body writhed and whined without the express permission of his mental faculties, and the dampness in his pants began feeling more like a puddle… and then it clicked.

_ Oh. _

In the pitch black room, a shining moment of clarity. _ Omega. _He was an Omega.

He’d never been privy to all the scents the Alphas and Omegas around him smelled. As children their senses weren’t sharp enough, no matter the truth of their future dynamic. He hadn’t realized they would develop all at once. Everything had been dull and murky and then _ pop, _suddenly the world around him came into sharp relief. He was bombarded with scents so keen if he could still taste then he was sure he’d be able to taste them on his tongue.

Armed with that knowledge his clouded brain finally developed some semblance of an idea of what was happening to him. _ Heat. _He was in heat. He squeezed his legs shut and muttered a prayer to the goddess. It was too much, too overwhelming. His own cloyingly sweet, slightly panicked aroma suffocated him in the dark room, and the heady scent of the alpha guard standing watch just outside his door made him whimper…

The realizations hit him in waves. _ I’m an Omega. This is a heat. _And now…

_ I am in trouble. _

No one thought twice about assigning an alpha guard to the young prince, and why would they? At sixteen years old he should be well beyond the age of presenting. He’d developed no scent, had no rut and no heat until now. He was as beta as betas come… Until he wasn’t anymore. Until he was squirming on his bed silently begging the goddess and all the saints for some relief.

He stumbled out of bed, barely making it two feet before his shivering legs gave out beneath him and he fell to his knees. What he had expected to do, he had no idea. Hold the door shut? He couldn’t even hold his own weight.

For the first time in his life he felt weak. A wail left his lips. A cry for help. Ear-shatteringly loud and as pathetic and vulnerable sounding as he felt. Though what kind of help he wanted, he expected, he had no idea.

He curled up on the cold floor, and though his body shivered it did nothing to cool the heat or dull the pain. Whatever was going to happen to him was going to happen to him tonight, and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

This acceptance came in a matter of seconds, not that he would have had much longer to think it through. From the beginning of his heat to the moment the guard was on top of him was a matter of minutes, though it felt like hours.

His shirt was already soaked through with sweat and his loose sleep pants were sticky and heavy with slick, but he was still clothed. For now. The alpha didn’t even bother to hold him down. He didn’t have to. Dimitri could have pushed him off easily, he knew he could… but that _ scent _ was clogging his senses, and all of his rational thinking along with it. He went limp, because somewhere deep down in his subconscious he knew that this man had what he needed, and his primal urges didn’t quite care about the implications of that. There was weight on his body and sweet glorious friction against his pants and that was all that mattered.

In his current state of mind it would have taken him weeks to parse out exactly what happened next.

Unbeknownst to either of them, a third person had entered the room. Undetectable by smell, and his usual heavy-footed tell went completely unheard in the heat of the moment. In a flash the man atop him was yanked off and thrown to the ground, and a heavy boot fell directly on his neck. He couldn’t see it in the dark, but he could hear it. Goddess, could he hear it.

A gasp. A gurgle. Silence.

The alpha scent in the air soured immediately.

Spell broken, Dimitri scrambled to sit up. Shame mixed with the arousal still coursing through his body as he tried to tug his pants back from where they’d slid down his hips. It wasn’t difficult to figure out who had intruded; the six-foot-eight behemoth of a beta was difficult to mistake. He stood so casually over the lifeless corpse of another man… He hadn’t even broken a sweat.

“D-Dedue?” he stuttered, surprised his tongue suddenly seemed to work again. “What are you doing here?”

“You called. I came.”

Of course it was so stupidly easy. If his brain wasn’t currently soup inside of his head he might have thought of trying it sooner. Dedue was never outside of shouting distance, after all.

Dimitri grabbed the hem of his sleeve and tugged him closer so he could help him stand… or maybe that was just an excuse to have Dedue within reaching distance. There was an aborted attempt to pull himself to his feet before resigned himself to sitting on the floor

“Dedue…” he whispered, eyes shut against the darkness and voice shaky in the quiet night air. “Will you stay with me?”

“Of course,” he answered back without any hesitation. “It is my duty to keep you safe.”

That much was obvious, and it wasn’t really what he’d been inquiring about, but he couldn’t just outright _ ask _that of him... could he? He chuckled in a halfhearted attempt to swallow his disappointment. Of course he would take it that way, wouldn’t he? How very like his Dedue...

“Come, your highness. Someone will need to clean this up.” He scooped him up in his arms, cradling him to his chest like some fragile bird. Did he really look so pathetic? He must have… He couldn’t even walk on his own.

Try as he might to keep quiet, just the slightest touch was enough to send wave after wave of fresh arousal washing through him. The arm supporting his knees brushed against his backside as they walked, and he jolted and moaned loud enough for the entire castle to hear each time it happened.

There were already heads poking out of doorways and around corners. The smell combined with the sound was probably enough to wake everyone in the whole of Fhirdiad. He couldn’t help but think how terribly embarrassed he would be once this was all over. If he looked closely enough he swore he could see a blush creeping up his companion’s cheeks as well.

He groaned internally. Goddess, he couldn’t wait to hear the rumors tomorrow…


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how long this fic will be but there's not enough Dimidue content in the world. So, here.

It was too damn bright.

He cracked his eyes open and immediately regretted the action. The curtains were drawn mostly shut, but what little light filtered through the gaps pierced his corneas and shot straight into his brain like a lance. His entire body was sorer and stiffer than after one of his all-night training regiments, and everything between his thighs ached and chafed.

_ That’s right. I’m an omega. _

Omega… He rolled the idea around in his mind. Turned it over and looked at it from every possible angle. Only in the light of day, head cleared, could he really analyze that. Omega. _ Omega. _Even the word felt foreign. He wished Ingrid were around to ask.

Right now… Well, it was hard to focus on one thing with so many gaps in his memory. He only had flashes of it. The searing pain, the alpha guard, Dedue rescuing him… Lying face down on his mattress and shoving his own fingers in and out of himself, a paltry imitation of what his body really wanted. Of who he really wanted…

He groaned. He could distinctly recall quite a few… Other things coming out of his mouth as well. Panicked, desperate pleas, the Dedue's name on his lips… The very man that, no doubt, had stood outside the door of this empty bedroom for however long this episode had taken. How many days had he been out? How long were heats supposed to last again? Why hadn’t he bothered to learn about this stuff?! 

Goddess, he hoped he hadn’t heard anything. How disgraceful, mewling out Dedue’s name like some tawdry whore. He’d never be able to look him in the eye again. He clasped his hands over his aching eyes and let out a distressed groan.

“Your highness?”

The voice startled him. Dedue was in the room with him? Had he been here the whole time? Had seen the whole shameful display? Had he heard?

“Dedue…” he did his best to keep his tone even, “would you mind closing the curtains…”

He waited until he heard the _ swish _of the fabric being drawn across the rod before he dared open his eyes again. It still made his head pound, but it was better. Bearable, even. He pushed himself up on his elbows and fell heavily against the headboard. Half sitting, but mostly not. He was afraid he couldn’t do more, and he’d only embarrass himself by trying.

“What are you doing in here?”

“I apologize for the intrusion. You haven’t eaten in three days.”

He held up a bowl of food, one hand already poised over the spoon. He knew he was barely capable of lifting his arms, didn’t he?

“Is that how long it’s been? Three days?”

He merely nodded as he brought a spoonful up to his mouth. Being fed like a child… How humiliating. He wasn’t too proud to admit when he needed help, though, so he parted his lips obediently. It was onion gratin soup by the smell. It slipped past his tongue, tasteless as water, and slid down his throat easily. A warm feeling settled in his stomach: a feeling that he wasn’t sure he could attribute to the soup. Dedue was taking care of him. It tickled some previously unknown part of his brain and made his chest feel fuzzy, before he slapped it back down.

“Did you make this?”

“Yes. While you were sleeping.”

Another throng of warmth. He was sure he was blushing, but he would just blame that on his heat.

“Thank you,” he smiled through the fib, “it is delicious.”

He was sure it wasn’t a lie; he’d heard quite a few of the servants compliment his companion’s cooking in the past. He waited several spoonfuls to talk again, certain that if he tried any earlier it would be met with a firm _ you need to eat, your highness. You need to recover your strength. _

“Mind filling me in? I’ll admit, the past three days are a bit of a blur.”

“I do not know much. Your guard needed to be removed, then I brought you here.”

“What did you do after that?”

He pointed his thumb toward the door.

“You slept in the hall?”

“Of course. I do not trust anyone else to protect you in my stead.”

He bit his tongue.

_ You could have come inside. _

That’s what he wanted to say, but deep down he knew it wasn’t true. If Dedue were discovered in his quarters during a heat it would be the end of him. He’d be branded a rapist and dragged along behind a carriage through the streets of Fhirdiad. The people wouldn’t care if he’d saved the prince’s life; it wouldn’t quell their misguided rage or soothe their hateful feelings. They would demand blood, and he might very well be powerless to stop it this time. If Dedue died because of him...

He realized, with a pang, that was probably why he hadn’t eaten in three days. Dedue would never let him go hungry otherwise. He didn’t know if food had been brought, but if it had he hadn’t even thought of touching it. He would have needed to be fed, not unlike how he was being fed now.

Humiliating. Utterly humiliating. This was going to be his life from now on? Every… _ damn it, _how frequently did Omegas get heats, again? He was more frustrated by his lack of understanding than he was by his new dynamic. There was nothing to be ashamed of, really. His father had been an Omega. Loog, the King of Lions had been an Omega. It must run in the Blaiddyd line. He wasn’t sure if that made him proud, or annoyed. It was an honor, but being reduced to a squirming, needy mess for three days at a time was certainly going to hamper his plans.

“I also arranged to have some books brought to your quarters while you recover.”

“You spoil me, Dedue.”

_ I don’t deserve it. _

“Of course, your highness.”

He sighed heavily, the back of his head slumped against the headboard.

“I wish you would call me Dimitri again.”

He knew he didn’t deserve that, either… He wanted it, though.

“I am afraid I cannot…” he hesitated. What was that look on his face? It flashed by for just a moment before it dissolved into thin air. “... For your sake.”

He pushed himself a little more upright, a little more back towards normal. What was he thinking? What was he saying? He knew how things were. Maybe it was the heat making him needy and emotional, but it needed to stop. Dedue was Dedue. He couldn’t ask for more, it wouldn’t be fair. Once he was sitting up properly he took the bowl and spoon, fingers brushing against the back of large hands. He ignored the little jolt in his heart.

“Please, stop worrying about me.”

“As you wish, your highness. There are fresh clothes at the end of the bed. When you are ready, the physician would like to speak with you.”

“Thank you.”

He stared down at his steaming bowl to hide the creeping blush on his cheeks. He’d completely forgotten that he was still naked. He couldn’t even do that right… Well, at least the blankets had been covering him.

“I will wait just outside. If you need me, do not hesitate to call.”

It took him an hour before he could get dressed, and even then he was struggling. The shirt wasn’t so hard, but his muscles groaned in protest as he sat up and reached for it. The pants were a little more awkward. He managed to get them on with a lot of shimmying and pained gasps, and even then they hung low and crooked on his waist. How pathetic… The proud prince couldn’t even dress himself. Another fifteen minutes and he was panting, breathless, ready to fall back asleep after such a minor exertion. He finally willed his body to stand and walk into the hallway, worried that if he delayed much longer Dedue might just come in and carry him back.

He didn’t need help, he could do it by himself… He insisted as much, but that didn’t stop Dedue from immediately rushing to his side to prop his limp body up. Several servants were already chittering about as they walked past, apparently unable to keep their noses out of things that weren’t their business.

_ Look at that! _

_ He’s limping! _

_ Can you blame him? I hear even the betas are… Well, you know! _

A chorus of giggles. He clenched his jaw. Dedue hadn’t even entered his room, any half-wit with eyes could have seen that! He did not doubt for a second that the man beside him had slept against the door and stood in the hall for three days with no breaks, in full view of the world. Now there were these rumors on top of all the others...

Had he had his lance he might have been tempted to stick it through someone’s eye. Words… They’d never been his strong suit.

“Utter nonsense…” he grumbled under his breath, but his voice wasn’t quite there yet. It wasn’t so unusual for the royal retainers to carry their leiges to safety when they were in heat, if that was what they were referring to! These gossips only took issue because Dedue was a man of Duscur. His jaw was beginning to grow numb with how hard he was grinding his teeth together.

“You need to rest, your highness.”

The large hand covering his left hip burned a hole through his clothes as he walked… Maybe his heat wasn’t as over as he’d thought? They managed to make it back to his room—his proper room—without collapsing. A minor miracle in and of itself. As soon as he was situated in bed again Dedue made for the door.

“Dedue, wait… Will you keep me company?”

He shook his head. He was a stoic man, but Dimitri swore he saw the briefest flash of longing, pain, and envy slip across his face before he responded. Or maybe that was his own selfish desires bleeding into his judgement.

“I do not think that would be a good idea. People… Will talk. I will be right outside if you need me.”

_ But they’re already talking… _

He sighed. He couldn’t find it in himself to order it, not if it made him so uncomfortable.

“At least leave the door open.”

More than anything, he just didn’t want to be alone, trapped inside these four walls with nothing to keep him company but his own thoughts.

“If that is what you wish.”

* * *

Everything after that was difficult to wrap his head around. The physician came into his room to explain what his body was going through in the form of a rapid crash-course in biology, told through diagrams and strange analogies. He couldn’t help but wonder why this wasn’t explained before the nightmare fuel that was his first heat happened.

Two days later he was finally able to walk around again (though not without significant help from Dedue). He insisted that he should rest, but Dimitri begged him to return to some sense of normalcy. He couldn’t very well lie around all day and do nothing, so they’d compromised. At dawn Dedue would walk him out to care for his horse as usual, and then he had to rest until the afternoon. Pity that riding was still strictly forbidden by the doctor; he was itching to throw the saddle on and not come back until the sun had set.

On the dawn of that third day he caught sight of a very frazzled looking Rodrigue handing the reins of his horse over to one of the servants. Rodrigue? He hadn’t visited since… Since Duscur. What was he doing here?

“Rodrigue!” He called out as he passed him by, barely looking in his direction. He seemed stunned, did a double take, and then backtracked a few steps to where Dedue was holding him steady with a firm hand on his lower back. It was getting much easier for him to walk, but he still stumbled a little if he went for too long without resting. The physician assured him that it would pass in due time, and his future heats shouldn’t knock him out quite so badly.

“Your highness,” he responded, offering a hurried bow. “I did not see you. Sorry, but I have an important meeting to attend to.”

“Meeting? About what?”

“Well… It’s about you.” He looked uncomfortable. “I can give you the details once we’ve finished, but I really must be going.”

He didn’t let Dimitri get another word in edgewise before he hurried inside. It left a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was not so young that he couldn’t remember the last time Rodrigue, his uncle, and the royal advisers had a meeting of this nature.

“You are troubled.”

His limbs suddenly felt very heavy.

“I know what they are talking about,” he sighed. Dedue held out his arm for him and he leaned heavily on the much taller man. “Perhaps we should go back inside.”

He didn’t think he would be able to obey the doctor’s orders if he got into the stable. If ever he needed a long ride to clear his mind, this was the time.

Dedue helped him back into the relative warmth of the castle. He hadn’t even realized how hard he’d been shivering until he felt the ache creep down his spine when he stopped. Goddess, was this just part of the recovery? He’d never been so affected by the cold before, but he’d been like this for days now…

They slowly made their way to the lounge. He didn’t want to go back to his room. If they went back there then Dedue would wait outside, and he couldn’t be alone right now. There was already a throbbing pressing at his forehead, a dull ache only exacerbated by the silence around him. It was at times like these that he wished his companion was more of a talker.

Once he was seated on one of the chairs Dedue left the room quickly, and returned a few minutes later with a couple of books and what appeared to be a blanket. Dedue placed them gently in his arms and took a step back.

The two books were nothing special, just a couple of things the doctor had assigned him to read. The blanket, however… It was knitted out of soft, thick yarn. The pattern was predominantly pale blue, but with striking lines of red and gold cutting through. It was well worn but not dirty or ragged, clearly a cherished item.

“What’s this?”

“A blanket. You have been cold. That one is the warmest I have.”

“You are okay with me using this?” His fingers played over the soft fabric carefully, a little worried that he might accidentally rip or snag the yarn.

“I want you to keep it.”

“K-Keep it?”

“Happy birthday, your highness.”

He stared at Dedue in shock for a moment, entranced by the slight curve to his lips. A smile. Not big or obvious, but it reached his kind green eyes. A flush began creeping up his cheeks in response. He’d completely forgotten his own birthday, as had everyone else in the excitement. Of course Dedue would remember.

“Thank you…”

He quickly pulled it around his shoulders. Dedue was right… This was warm. Or maybe his skin was still just that hot from the embarrassment. The thing was massive, large enough for him to fold in half and still have it wrap all the way around his body. It was clearly from Duscur, so it was probably that size to accommodate the rather large people it was originally made for.

Dedue settled in another chair a respectable distance away from him and picked up the needlework he’d slowly been progressing on.

Dimitri picked at the cover of the book in his hands. He wasn’t privy to anything that was happening at the meeting to decide his fate, but he had a pretty good idea. It was probably utter chaos. Talks of preventing him from attending the Officer’s Academy come the Great Tree Moon. Mates, crests, babies, the royal lineage… Stabilizing the kingdom. He did not want to think of what that meant for him.

He shook his head to bring himself out of it and flipped the book in his hands open to a random page. Anything to keep his mind away from the conference room where they were deciding his fate.

_ … An omega is able to take a mate from the moment they present. The partner latches onto the neck and bites down on the bonding gland hard enough to draw blood. In order for the bond to take, both partners must draw blood. It is possible to achieve a bond without a reciprocal bite, but these bonds are shown to be much more tenuous and breakable than one in which both partners have marked each other... _

_ Mates. Crests. Babies. If they force me to pick out a mate then... _

He looked up from his book almost unconsciously. Like he was expecting Dedue to have vanished into thin air. He only realized he’d been staring when Dedue glanced his way with a warm look in his eye.

His cheeks burned with the shame of being caught and he quickly glanced back down at his book. It was doing a terrible job of keeping his mind off of things, so he skipped ahead a few pages.

_ … Nesting usually begins when an omega becomes fertile, beginning one to three heats after presenting. During this time omegas might be driven to seek important artifacts from their mates. Examples include articles of clothing and blankets, as these are the best at holding scents. Many omegas also show an affinity for shiny items, though it is yet unknown why … _

_ ... _

_ How dull. _

But he needed to read. Like it or not he was an omega now, and he needed to know everything. 

It was still so strange to him. If he turned his head too quickly he would catch his own scent and remember. He didn’t feel any different aside from the temporary weakness in his body. All of his alpha guards had been sent away, which he wasn’t complaining about. They all smelled too strongly; it was suffocating. If more than two were in the same room it all became a confusing jumble. That, too, was supposed to pass with time.

Right now it was blissfully scent-less, and he was warm and comfortable. He must have dozed off because he didn’t remember anything between the last few lines of that paragraph and when a new scent entered the room. Rodrigue. He didn’t mind the way he smelled so much, especially when it was the only one around.

Rodrigue patted his shoulder affectionately to rouse him when he entered.

“You are here to tell me my fate, I assume?”

It was terrifying just how quickly a bunch of nobles could act on something when it benefited them. For all he knew, they could already have an alpha ready and be setting up a wedding ceremony just down the hall.

“The plan has not changed. You’ll attend the Officer’s Academy, and discussion of mates will be shelved until after you ascend the throne.”

“Thank you, Rodrigue,” a wave of relief washed over him. It might not be forever, but it would buy him some time.

“Of course,” he stood and offered a bow to Dedue next. “I heard you protected his highness. Thank you.”

He nodded solemnly.

“Are you leaving already?” he struggled to shake the drowsiness from his mind. “I will see you out.”

“No need. You still need your rest.”

“But it has been too long since we last spoke.”

Dedue was a good companion, but it was still terribly lonely in Fhirdiad. Ingrid was too busy fending off suitors and hiding in her room to visit, Sylvain was fending off the Sreng, and Felix… Suffice to say, none of his letters had been returned.

“I know… But I’m afraid I left Felix to handle things by himself, and, well…” he chuckled. “He’s become so much like his brother. I am afraid to leave him alone for long.”

A pang went through his chest. Neither of them spoke his name, but the poignant sadness in Rodrigue’s voice spoke volumes. A beat of silence, and he pushed past the awkward moment.

“Give him my regards.”

_ Tell him to write, too. Please. _

“I will.”

At least there was one weight off of his shoulders. Now that his future was settled he could look forward to attending the Academy. His blood sang in anticipation. Just a couple more months. He just had to survive a couple more months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of my lovely Tumblr mutuals for helping me out with this chapter and figuring out the direction I want this to go :)


	3. Chapter 3

For all of his excitement about attending the Academy, Dimitri couldn’t help the nervousness that turned his stomach when he arrived. This would be the first time he saw all of his childhood friends in over two years, and the first time he would introduce himself to them as an omega.

It was the kind of thing that really shouldn’t have concerned him: Felix and Ingrid were both omegas, after all, but he couldn’t help the disquieted feeling that they would all look at him differently because of it. Then again… when it came to Felix, there was no lower he could sink.

The monks warned him not to bring many possessions with him to the monastery: only what was strictly necessary. He arrived wearing his stiff new uniform, several replacements specially made by the tailor piled in his arms, and Dedue’s blanket.

When they’d told him to only bring what was essential it was the only thing that had come to mind, because ever since he’d presented he’d been freezing every night. That, and he was afraid to leave it in the capital, lest some servant recognize its origin and burn it in his absence. His small stack was whisked out of his arms—he tried not to think about the way his chest squeezed as the beautiful gift was taken from him—by one of the monks, and they gently nudged him toward the classrooms.

He’d been here once as a young child, but only once. It was common for the royal family to take pilgrimages during the Goddess’s Rite of Rebirth, but his father’s campaign in Sreng had prevented them from attending for a long time, and he’d been too young to be trusted to go alone. Then after Duscur he hadn’t been allowed to leave the capital unless it was strictly necessary. Suffice to say, it wasn’t nearly often enough to know his way around, so he clutched the hand-drawn map in his fingers and tried to study it without tearing it in his anxiety.

They had to stop twice to ask for directions, the second time mere feet away from his destination.

“Your classroom is the one in the middle,” the monk said, pointing him toward the very obvious doors with the soft blue banners bordering it. How could he possibly have missed it? “Your classmates are waiting for you, I believe.”

He was beginning to regret having his uniform tailored to work with his armor. The shoulder guards felt uncommonly heavy on his frame as he took his first steps toward the Blue Lions classroom.

Well, at least he had Dedue at his side. He looked rather awkward in his brand new uniform. The tailor had grumbled all the way through about needing to adjust her patterns to fit a giant, something Dedue seemed rather self conscious about now that he was actually in the thing.

He hoped he’d get used to it. He didn’t want the academy to be a painful experience for him, far from it. Perhaps he’d even had a few ulterior motives… Getting Dedue to say his name instead of his title, for one, but now that they were here…

He’d seen the way the monks glared at his companion. Dedue wasn’t one for showing his discomfort outright, but he’d seen how the tall man shrank, imperceptibly to most, under their scrutiny. Maybe asking him here as a friend had been asking too much. There he went again, with his stupid whims...

Whatever terror he was feeling about meeting their new classmates, he was sure Dedue felt it double. That knowledge did nothing to comfort him as they stepped inside.

It seemed they were the last to arrive. The rather sizable classroom was alight with activity despite their small numbers.

Felix, Ingrid, and Sylvain were standing together on the far end, right beside the teacher’s desk and a chalkboard. 

Felix apparently forewent the traditional academy jacket, which came as a bit of a surprise considering how cold he used to get when he was little. His puffy-sleeve clad arms were crossed over his chest, and, if the way his eyebrows pinched together was any indication, he was rather annoyed by something.

Ingrid stood with her back turned and one hand on her hip. She’d decided to stick with the traditional ensemble, of course, though he could only tell when she turned to face her companions in profile. Her hair had grown quite long since he last saw her, though she appeared no more inclined to style it than she had before. It was nice to know that some things never changed…

Rounding out the group of people that he knew, Sylvain was leaning back casually against the teacher’s desk. He’d shirked both the jacket and the vest, with his sleeves rolled up to the elbows and the top two buttons undone. Dimitri could only guess that was what their apparent argument was about, because Ingrid was hanging onto what looked like his jacket. She thrust it at him roughly.

He caught the tail end of her complaint as he stepped closer.

“... _ Completely improper! _The uniform is not an option, Sylvain!”

Sylvain took it, one arm sheepishly scratching at the back of his neck before he decided to pull it over his shoulders.

… Yes, some things never changed, it seemed.

There were three other people in the room aside from his childhood friends. At one of the student’s desks sat two women: an ashy blonde with a warm smile and big eyes and a redhead with cute pigtails that felt vaguely familiar to him, though he could not place why. They didn’t seem to notice his arrival, either. They were rather occupied with each other; their knees touched as they leaned their heads together, whispering conspiratorially about topics he could only guess at.

Hovering on the edge of the room was a short boy with big green eyes. He was huddled by the fireplace off to the left with a rather thick and beat up volume clutched between his white knuckles. He took no notice of the prince’s arrival either, clearly enraptured by whatever tale he was currently skimming.

Sylvain was the first to look his way. He raised a hand in greeting, cutting off whatever lecture Ingrid was about to engage in with a boisterous shout of “Your highness!” by way of greeting. He sauntered over casually, and the rest quickly scrambled to their feet around him. They circled him in somewhat of a crescent shape, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being observed like a particularly interesting animal in a zoo.

His head spun, suddenly being surrounded by all of these new scents was a lot to handle. It’d only been three months since he’d presented, and since he wasn’t allowed within a hundred feet of an alpha and omegas wouldn’t come within a hundred feet of him he hadn’t had much opportunity to adjust to his heightened sense of smell.

Felix and Ingrid were omegas, he knew. The former presented shortly after he’d turned thirteen, and two years ago he’d bemoaned his lack of worthy suitors. _ ‘If they can’t beat me in a duel then what use are they to me?’ _He recalled his words distinctly, because that was the last time he and Felix had spoken as friends.

Ingrid, from her letters, had been holed up in her room following… Well, _ that. _Count Galatea had been desperately trying to marry her off since, something he, as an assumed beta, was grateful he did not have to deal with at the time. Not that he had that luxury now. Perhaps he should ask her how she dealt with it when they had a moment.

Sylvain was an alpha, through and through. Rumors of his philandering, enough to rival even Dimitri’s own uncle’s skirt chasing, had slowly been making their way back to the capital over the last several years. He’d hoped Sylvain would grow out of it, but here he was, nineteen years old and clearly still sticking with it. Goddess, the headache this man was going to be for him...

By his count there was one more alpha and two more omegas, aside from those three and himself. That is, if his nose wasn’t tricking him. Dedue was the only beta present, it seemed, which wasn’t at all surprising to him. The Blue Lions always tended to skew toward the omegas, and it seemed this year would be no different. 

“I didn’t quite believe my old man,” Felix started, eyes directed at the wall just beyond his shoulder. “The boar is an Omega now, huh? I’m surprised they even let you come.”

The nickname stung, even if it was well-earned.

“Felix!” Ingrid hissed.

“I know it is… Surprising.” He offered timidly in response. Word of his dynamic was not exactly a secret, but he doubted it had time to reach all ears in the few short months since he’d presented. Even if it had, those were just rumors. Rodrigue was very firm in that they not confirm anything until after he arrived at the academy, to ward off suitors. Dimitri had not thought at all of what his friends would think of him once he arrived until he was on the threshold. “But I assure you that I am no less capable.”

“Well I, for one, am grateful to have another lovely Omega in our class,” Sylvain stepped forward, offering a little wink to Dimitri. Behind him, steam was practically coming out of Ingrid’s ears.

He offered his hand, but it was unlike any handshake Dimitri had seen. His wrist was turned upward, arm extended directly out in front of him. Dimitri looked between him and the other members of his new class, befuddled.

“Geez, you really are new at this,” Felix scoffed. “You’re supposed to scent him.”

“O-oh!” he stuttered out, hoping to tamp down his obvious embarrassment. “Yes of course!”

He took Sylvain’s hand delicately, thumb pressed into his palm and fingers wrapped around the back of his hand, and he lifted his wrist to his nose. Yes, of course, he’d read about this, too. Alphas and omegas in a pack scented each other so they would be able to distinguish themselves more easily. They were going to be fighting together, so he supposed it made sense that they all get acquainted in this manner. He could not believe he hadn’t considered it himself.

Even though they’d known each other since they were children, it felt uncomfortably intimate to be doing this. Not necessarily unpleasant, just strange. Once he felt sufficiently overwhelmed by the new alpha scent flooding his senses he dropped Sylvain’s hand rather unceremoniously and offered his own in return. Sylvain gave him another wink, hot breath ghosting over the inside of his wrist as he took him in.

They each offered their wrists to him in turn, by way of introduction. Ingrid went next. She did not linger as long as Sylvain had, and her scent was far less overwhelming to his overstimulated senses.

She was followed by the short boy with the green eyes. He introduced himself as Ashe: another omega and adoptive son to Lord Lonato. He had slim wrists and calloused fingertips, obviously an archer.

Then there was Mercedes, the omega daughter of a merchant. He thought she might get along well with Ingrid. It was rather clear her adoptive father was looking for a good mate for her, given her admitted lack of martial prowess.

After her came Annette, whom he finally drew the connection for. The short alpha looked very much like her father. Her scent was sickly sweet, like freshly baked cookies and honey.

Felix offered his wrist last, though he did not look very keen on it. He thrust the appendage forward, eyes fixed on the ground as Dimitri took him by the hand. After he’d had a few seconds to absorb his scent the other omega snatched his wrist away and yanked his sleeve back down over his arm. He took Dimitri’s in return, but he did not linger. Just enough for one long whiff before he stepped away.

_ I can smell you from here, boar. _He didn’t say it, but Dimitri could practically hear the insult ringing in his ears.

Once they’d all introduced themselves to him they began offering wrists to each other. The implication was not lost on him: they’d established a pack hierarchy, and he was at the top. He knew he was destined to be leader of Faerghus someday, but the realization still pitted in his gut. He wasn’t anywhere near worthy enough to lead this group.

Still… There was something sweet in watching them exchange scents. Ashe picked up everyone’s wrists almost over-enthusiastically, like an eager puppy. Mercedes always seemed to make it a point to bend down for her shorter companions, and Annette involuntarily offered a girlish giggle each time.

The whole process took a lot longer than he would have expected, though he supposed it made sense. Even for a smaller group they had to ensure that everyone got a turn with everyone else, but they were finally finishing up. Ashe and Ingrid drifted off to the side to discuss the book he’d been reading earlier. Mercedes and Annette were exchanging scents yet again, though Dimitri knew now that this was unnecessary for them. They did so with the ease of two people that had known each other for a lifetime… Or perhaps they were just incredibly close.

Sylvain reached for Felix, the last remaining member he hadn’t yet scented, but Felix jerked back suddenly when he tried to take his hand.

“C’mon Felix, give me your wrist,” he pouted, a soft whine escaping his throat.

“Why? You already know what I smell like.”

“Everyone else is. Besides, it’s been awhile.”

Before Felix could object Sylvain pulled his hand toward him gently. He took his palm, much like he had Dimitri’s earlier, and held it up to his nose. Rather than closing his eyes, as he did with the rest of the class, he kept them open and trained on Felix's eyes. His lips hovered less than a hair’s breadth away from the his skin.

Felix did not look away. He stared, eyes wide and cheeks red, as Sylvain completed their little ritual.

Although they were doing it out in public right in front of him, it felt like the sort of thing Dimitri wasn’t supposed to be privy to. Just looking at them twisted his gut strangely and made his face hot. Instead of staring his slid to the side in search of Dedue, but he was not at his usual place next to him.

He’d melted into the background, leaned up against the wall far off to the side. Dimitri could have kicked himself for not noticing it sooner. He’d been so caught up in all the new faces and scents that he’d completely neglected to ensure Dedue was included.

For such a distinctive man, Dedue had an impressive talent for blending into the background. It was something they’d found incredibly useful in the past, but not something he wanted Dedue to make a habit of doing while they were at the academy.

“Dedue!” he called out, waving him over.

He looked hesitant, but he stepped forward anyways.

It was as if time froze. Ingrid halted her conversation mid sentence, mouth gaping open like a fish. Ashe seemed to shrink back, as if making himself smaller would hide his discomfort. Mercedes looked on with a carefully neutral expression, but the same couldn’t be said for her companion. Annette bounced on her toes, and definitely not in an excited way. Sylvain dropped Felix’s hand, the latter being the only one that didn’t seem surprised by Dedue’s presence. They’d met briefly two years ago, so most of the shock and awe must have worn off in the meantime.

“Er, this is Dedue,” He introduced him to the group, voice falling flat half way through. There was no need to explain the fact that he was beta; his status was obvious by the lack of scent in the air. “He is my vassal, and a very good friend.”

Silence. Painful, cripplingly awkward silence followed the statement. All eyes stared wide and unblinking… It was as if he’d introduced a dragon rather than a man. Dedue did not appear phased, but he could feel every uncomfortable beat of silence pulse through to his core. The steady climb of the bitter _ unhappy omega _ stench was doing nothing to alleviate his worries.

Finally—thankfully—Sylvain stepped forward to end the torture.

“... Damn, where has his highness been hiding you?” Sylvain offered with a chuckle. He clapped the taller man on the shoulder. Perhaps an overly familiar gesture, but Dimitri would take what he could get at this point. “Nice to meet you. I’m Sylvain.”

“Dedue… What a lovely name,” Mercedes quickly offered, with a sweet voice and a small bow.

He nodded at each of them in turn, lips set ever so slightly higher than his usual frown. It wasn’t a glowing admission of happiness, but Dimitri knew to take it for what it was: cautious optimism. Though, he supposed, to their new classmates, it wouldn’t look much different from the expression he normally wore. He was torn between wishing they could read Dedue as well as him and jealously wanting to hoard that talent all for himself.

They did not scent. The act would be wholly redundant given Dedue’s status as a beta, but they extended their hands in greeting and offered (mostly) kind, if not overly polite smiles.

Annette seemed spurred on after Mercedes’s introduction and she went next, followed by Ashe. Felix did not say anything, just offered a solemn nod of acknowledgement. No need for pleasantries there, and he was sure Dedue was at least somewhat grateful for it. He was beginning to look overwhelmed by Mercedes and Annette’s excited chatter. 

“... Ingrid, why don’t you say hi?” Annette asked.

Ingrid, who had stepped away from the scene and was now sulking a few feet away, just shook her head, arms crossed over her chest and eyebrows pinched in a scowl.

She did not respond further. She didn’t even look at Dedue before she shoved past them and headed out the door. With her departure the steady reek of displeasure dissipated into the air, but its meaning was not lost on anyone in the room.

Even Dedue, with his dulled sense of smell, could sense it. His face fell back into its usual closed off expression, lips turned down slightly at the corners. It was a little different, though. His eyes were ever so slightly downcast, shoulders hunched forward just a little, like he was trying to make himself smaller.

He knew that posture well. It was the same one he took whenever the people of Fhirdiad threw words and stones. He’d seen the aftermath enough times. He’d cleaned and bandaged enough bloody cuts for a lifetime.

“Did... Did we do something wrong?” Dimitri asked, twisting his fingers together in front of him; a nervous habit he’d been trying to break.

“She’s just…” Sylvain glanced quickly at Dedue. “She’s still upset. About… You know.”

He made a rather exaggerated gesture toward Felix with his head. It could not possibly have been meant to be subtle, since Felix was staring straight at him as he did it. Felix shoved him, and although it didn’t seem to be too hard Sylvain still stumbled back dramatically and clutched his chest.

“You wound me, Fe.”

“You don’t have to be delicate around me.” He snarled, then he turned to Dimitri. “She’s still upset about Glenn.”

He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. If he’d been paying attention then it probably would have been.

“I can talk to her if you want…” Sylvain offered, but Dimitri shook his head.

“No no, I suppose I should be the one to explain.”

He turned to the rest of the group, now speaking in hushed tones in the wake of Ingrid’s angry departure.

“It was very nice meeting you all. I look forward to our year together.”

He did not wait for a response before he made his way toward the exit, Dedue at his back per usual.

“Oh, the professor wants to talk with you when you have a minute!” Ashe shouted after him, apparently having just remembered he was responsible for passing that bit of information on. 

“Of course. Thank you, Ashe,” Dimitri waved to him over his shoulder before he headed back to the dorms.

Thankfully he hadn’t torn the map to confetti, so they were able to make it to the dormitories without too much issue.

The top floor of the dorms was dedicated to omegas and betas; the monks had told him as much when they arrived and took his things. It was a beautiful building, really. One wall had long windows overlooking the monastery grounds, and the doors were made of beautifully carved wood. Each one had a piece of parchment with a name affixed to it.

He picked his way down the hall, eyes glazing over the names posted on each door in search of Ingrid’s. They passed over several he didn’t recognize, probably students from the Empire and Alliance, before he finally stumbled upon those that he knew. Lions were at the end, and he was the second to last, sandwiched between Felix and Dedue. Well, at least they’d taken is request seriously. He couldn’t resist taking a peek inside his own bedroom to ensure that all of his possessions had made it there safely, and he was put at ease when he saw the thick blue blanket resting neatly at the foot of the bed.

With that task done, he stepped a few doors down to Ingrid’s, hand primed to knock, but he halted when he remembered Dedue at his side.

“Perhaps you should wait in your own room.”

“Your Highness, what if…”

“Relax, it is only Ingrid. You worry too much.”

He did not want to admit that he was worried Dedue would only upset her more. Even if her fury was misguided...

“I will get you the moment I finish.”

Luckily, Dedue didn’t protest further. He simply nodded and returned to his own bedroom, heavy boots echoing through the hall.

He’d been right to look for her here. She’d spent the past four years hiding in her room, so it was not much of a stretch to assume. Surely enough, when he found himself ready to knock again he was hit with the overwhelming stench of a very displeased omega.

The rest of the floor was seemingly empty, apparently the other omegas and betas were still getting acquainted with their own classes. At least there would be no one around to hear them. Ingrid could get quite… loud… when she was upset.

He rapped gently on her door, fully expecting to be met with the tip of her lance as he did. Instead, he was shocked to see that it was unlocked. Like his own room, the place was empty. The bed was made up neatly with simple linens, and she had several more uniforms folded and stacked on the pillow, but it was otherwise bare of personal effects. His childhood friend was situated by the window, knees grasped in her arms, forehead leaned against the panes.

“If you’re here to lecture me, kindly save your breath.”

“It was not my intention.”

“Your Highness!” her head snapped to face him. She straightened her posture immediately, leaping to her feet and practically saluting him. “I assumed you were Sylvain.”

“I can get him if you would prefer…”

“Absolutely not,” she frowned. “That hypocrite thinks he can lecture me… It drives me insane!”

“I see…” he offered, trying to be as neutral as possible. “Are you alright?”

She was quiet for a moment, as if grappling with what she was going to say next. He waited patiently for her to speak with his arms folded over his chest.

“Permission to speak freely?”

“Ingrid… We have been friends since we were children. You do not need to ask permission.”

“How could you just forgive them?” She said without hesitation.

His brows creased in a hard line, frown tugging the corners of his lips.

“I am afraid I don't know what you are referring to.”

“You brought a man from Duscur? As your vassal? Have you already forgotten what they’ve done?! You… You’re spitting on Glenn’s memory!”

“Excuse me?”

Anger made his fingers twitch. She… How dare she..!

“The people of Duscur! They’re… They’re monsters, how can you forget that? How can we trust him, after everything they’ve done?”

How dare she speak of Glenn’s death in such a manner! She had no idea. Not a single clue. He’d stared the people who did this—the people who killed Glenn and his father—in the eye, and they were not from Duscur. And to insult Dedue in such a manner… He’d dealt with enough of that in the capital. He’d been merely fourteen when the tragedy happened, a child! How could she possibly..!

“Dedue saved my life,” he blurted out, a little loudly, a little more rawly than he’d intended. “That is why he is here, and that is why you will treat him with respect.”

She stopped, cheeks still a furious red, but her tongue was still.

“He saved your life?”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t in the traditional sense; Not like how the knights in those thick tales of chivalry and honor would do it. There was no jumping in front of a sword to save him, no midnight rescues on a shining steed… but he had saved him, in more ways than one. His voice softened just thinking of all the nights they’d spent awake by the fire, both of them too exhausted to sleep. Or all of the cold mornings they spent huddled under blankets with a book as he taught him to read.

“I do not know where I would be without him.”

“... Fine,” she offered after a moment passed between them. Her knight’s code of honor must have won out. “If he has really done as you said, then I will accept his presence here.”

“... I suppose that’s all I will get. I do hope you get to know him, Ingrid. He is a wonderful person.”

He left, fingers running back through his bangs. The acrid scent in the air had dissipated somewhat, at least, though she had seemed far from happy. He immediately headed down the hall to find Dedue. He was exactly where he’d left him, fussing over putting his spare uniforms away in one of the drawers, as if that would keep him busy for long. He stood tall and proud, but the slight hunch to his shoulders told Dimitri differently. It was easy to miss with his height.

“That’s all settled.” He offered brightly as he came into the room. He was sure Dedue had heard it all anyways, but if he could still spare his feelings then he would try.

“Your highness…” he started, voice timid and low, soft like a whisper. The kind of tone he only took when he was being dead serious. “If my presence is inconvenient for you-”

“Stop,” he held up his hand, perhaps a tad more aggressively than he would have intended. “I’ll not hear another word of that.”

Goddess knew he’d become all too familiar with this speech over the years. He’d been forced to listen to it every time an ignorant moron with a loud voice came within shouting distance.

“Perhaps you would be more accepted if I were not here.”

“Tell me Dedue…” He hated this. He hated that he was about to ask this, because nothing hurt him more than the thought of Dedue vanishing from his life. “Do you want to leave me?”

“It is not a question of what I want, Your Highness. If it is best for me to go, then I will go.”

“But would you _ like _to leave me? Would you be happier without me?”

He held his breath as the words left his lips. Had… had he ever asked this question of Dedue? He did not think so, because he was afraid. Selfish, and afraid that if Dedue said yes he would leave him behind. Dimitri would let him go, goddess, he would do anything if it made Dedue happy… But it would break him.

Dedue did not hesitate. He’d scarcely finished the question before he was met with a response.

“Leave your side? I would never dream of such a thing.”

His heart skipped a beat. It was unfair that Dedue could make chest ache like this.

“So… Why do you say such things?”

“I cause problems for you,” he said flatly. Defeated.

_“You _are not the problem, Dedue. There is no one I would rather have by my side, so please do not speak of leaving me.”

The thought alone made it difficult for him to breathe.

He did not get a response, merely a solemn nod. It hadn’t been an order, but it seemed Dedue was taking it as such. He stared for a moment longer, but if Dedue had any thoughts he was keeping them firmly in his head.

He sighed. Perhaps he shouldn’t have expected more.

“Come, I believe our professor wanted to speak with me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enter: Extremely unsubtle Sylvix and Anncedes!


	4. Chapter 4

Their professor was a squirrely looking man with cropped brunette hair and a short stature. Seemed like a strange choice for a military academy; Dimitri could tell just by the way he was standing that he hadn’t had much combat experience, if any. The sword belted to his waist felt more like a decoration, something added as a mere afterthought as opposed to an actual weapon, though perhaps he should not judge… The man could be quite adept with magic and only keep the sword as a backup. Rodrigue was much the same.

He introduced himself with his typical bow and the rattling off of his full three names in the polite and proper form, just as he had with his classmates earlier. Just based on the look the man offered Dedue, he had a feeling that they were not going to get along very well.

“And this is De-”

“I already know his name.” The man deadpanned.

“Ah… Of course.” He offered awkwardly in return. Of course, the professor likely had a roster of all of their names, though he did not miss the fact that the man had not interrupted him when he was introducing himself.

“... I apologize if I have made us late.” Dimitri offered lamely after a moment. “Shall we?”

“Seteth only wants to speak to house leaders.” The professor shot a pointed look at Dedue, something just short of a sneer of contempt in his expression.

First Ingrid, now this? Would he need to have a word with this professor, too?

He sighed. He supposed he’d have to deal with that in the future, but for the moment he turned to Dedue, an apologetic look on his face.

“I will see you later, in the dining hall?”

The professor didn’t seem to be paying them any mind, so he reached out and gave his forearm a reassuring little squeeze. He caught the slight raise of Dedue’s eyebrows as he did, and he worried momentarily that he might have overstepped a boundary. He had to bite his tongue to keep from apologizing, it wasn’t as if he had meant anything by it, of course. He was just worried about him.

“I will unpack your highness's things in the meantime.”

“Dedue you do not have to…” he was already out the door by the time he finished the sentence. “... do that…”

He hoped this meeting, whatever it was for, was over quickly.

The professor was obviously new here. They needed to stop several times to consult the map that Dimtiri still had tucked into his pocket, and they even doubled back once when it became clear they were going the wrong direction. He could only guess that they were running terribly late, something he was growing more and more self conscious about by the minute.

It wasn’t far from the truth, either. When they arrived at the office on the second floor, his ears pink and burning with his embarrassment, there were already two people waiting there: a boy with tanned skin and dark hair, and a rather short girl with snow-white hair. The former appeared to be going over the contents of the bookshelves, and the latter stood with her arms crossed, hip jutting out to the side.

Neither of them were speaking, but it was obvious just on a glance that they were the other house leaders. They each had uniquely tailored uniforms, and they both bore capes in their house’s colors. This Seteth person they were supposed to be meeting clearly wasn’t there yet, it was possible that they still weren’t too late.

Both of them turned when they approached, the girl with a slightly over dramatic flip of her hair, and the boy doing his best to feign an innocent smile.

Dimitri did a double take. He hadn’t recognized her from behind… Her hair had always been brown, had it not? But there she was. This was unmistakably Edelgard, four years older and in the flesh.

“El-” He started to call out to her, but the words died in his throat mid-syllable. There was no glimmer of recognition in her face when she looked him in the eye.

“Oh? Who might you be?”

“An omega, eh? Didn’t realize Faerghus allowed that.”

“Er, of course. I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, crown prince to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus.” He bowed deeply to both of them, one hand crossed over his chest.

“Edelgard von Hresvelg, future emperor of Adrestia.” She offered only a small nod of her head in return.

“Geez, so formal. You two need to lighten up. I’m Claude.”

They were both alphas; he could tell by the two distinct scents mixing together in the room. One seemed relaxed, the other tense.

The man -- Claude -- stepped forward, and Dimitri noticed that he was just a tad bit shorter than him. First Annette, now Edelgard and Claude? He was beginning to wonder if short alphas were really the norm.

He froze when Claude sauntered over and took him by the hand. Was he going to scent him? Were they supposed to do that? They weren’t in the same house, they weren’t part of the same pack… Was it normal to take a complete stranger’s wrist like this?

Fortunately he didn’t make an attempt to take his glove off. He merely lifted his hand, wrist facing the ground, and pressed his lips to it.. It should not have been embarrassing, given how ridiculous he looked pressing his mouth against the hard steel edge of his gauntlet, but he found his cheeks igniting all the same.

“May I ask what that was for?”

“Ah, that’s just the proper way to greet someone of your Dynamic where I’m from. Try not to take it to heart, you’re not really my type.” He offered a wink.

Before Dimitri could sputter out something else, a fifth person entered the room.

“It is good to see that the three of you have found your way here.” A severe looking man with dark green hair entered the room. “I am Seteth.”

The three of them reintroduced themselves to him, though there was likely no need. If he was calling them there, it was likely that he already knew who they were. Which just begged the question...

“Why have you called us here, exactly?”

He was relieved Edelgard asked, he wasn’t quite sure how to broach the topic himself.

“Our previous professor retired as of last year. Archbishop Rhea would like the new professor to take a few of the students out and run some training exercises to assess his competency.

“Shall I get the other members of my house, then?” He offered. Really he just hoped to have Dedue back at his side. There was something disquieting about the energy in this room, but he could not quite place his finger on it.

“No need. This is merely a small test of our new professor.”

“I… am not certain how De-” He paused for a breath and then caught himself. “... How my vassal would feel about going without him.”

It killed him to refer to Dedue this way, but he reminded himself that this man likely would not know the nature of their relationship if he just called him by name. Vassal just never seemed like a big enough word for what they were, but he dare not call them friends so it was the closest he could get.

“We are aware that most students at this academy are invaluable. Not to worry, the Knights of Seiros will be accompanying you on this exercise as a precautionary measure.”

He still felt uneasy going out without Dedue, but Seteth did not leave much room for argument.

“You will all leave tomorrow morning. Be sure to rest.”

Yes. Rest. He was beginning to dread the concept. Sleep was hard enough to come by at home, but in such an unfamiliar place? He had no doubt that he would be spending the night tossing and turning. But no matter, the sun was riding low in the sky, so he decided to make good on his promise and meet Dedue for dinner. It took significantly less wandering this time, perhaps he was learning his way around? Or maybe it helped that he could follow the steady stream of people headed to the dining hall for dinner when he accidentally stumbled into the nearby courtyard.

There was a clear divide among the tables when he arrived. He supposed it was only natural for each of the three houses to sit with their own for their first meal together, but he had not expected the difference to be so pronounced.

His classmates were seated close to the windows facing toward the fishing pond and the dorms. Dedue had settled himself at one end, on the side of the table that had his back currently turned to Dimitri. Across from him was Sylvain, and Mercedes was situated between him and Annette. The space across from the healer was empty, presumably saved for him. At least, he hoped that was the case, and it was not because Ashe, Felix, and Ingrid were reluctant to sit directly beside a man of Duscur to eat.

“Dimitri!” Sylvain waved him over. There was already food in front of the empty chair, so he supposed it was being saved after all. “You’ve gotta try this. I tell ya, no one in Faerghus knows how to cook.”

He shuffled self consciously before he took a bite. The texture was fine, but as for the taste he hadn’t the slightest clue.

“Good, huh?”

“Yes, of course. Though I wouldn’t say no one in Faerghus knows how to cook. Dedue is quite the chef, I’ll have you know.”

“Really, no kidding?”

“His highness is exaggerating.”

“Please Dedue, don’t be modest.” He tilted his head to the side, fork dangling from his fingers. Was… Was Dedue smiling? Just a little? It was difficult to tell from this angle, but the corner of his lip seemed like it was turned ever so slightly upward… Or maybe he was just imagining it.

“So what did the professor want?” Annette chimed in.

“We are to do some training exercises in the woods tomorrow.” He hoped he could make up for the obvious lack of taste by eating with gusto, so he piled a large forkful of food into his mouth after he finished his sentence.

Sylvain pouted. “We’ve barely gotten here and they already have us doing _ training exercises? _”

“You could stand to do a little more training, you know.” Ingrid called from her end of the table.

“Well, I think it will be great fun. Right Annie?”

“Aw, I was hoping we would get to see some _ real _ combat.” She pouted in response.

“You don’t have to worry about that. Apparently only the other house leaders and myself will accompany the professor.”

He scanned his eyes over the room for a moment. Claude was sitting with his fellow housemates, smiling and laughing despite the stiffness of his companions around him. Edelgard was nowhere to be found.

“Your highness… Is that a good idea?”

“The knights will be with us, there is nothing to fear.”

“I do not like it.”

He tried to suppress the little smile that came to his face. Of course Dedue would want to be with him, to keep him safe.

…No, he could not let his imagination carry him away like that. He was merely doing his duty, nothing more.

Something twisted in the pit of his stomach at that realization. The food in front of him somehow looked more unappetizing than usual.

“Oh my, are you feeling alright?” Mercedes shot him a worried look across the table.

“Er, yes.” He shoved the plate away from himself and stood up. “My apologies. I think I am just tired from the journey.”

“Are you sure? You look a bit pale?”

“Really, I’m fine.” He stood up quickly, stomach tying itself in uncomfortable little knots when Dedue moved to stand with him. “No, really. Please Dedue, finish eating. I can make it back just fine on my own.”

He hurried back to the dorm before anyone could respond and shut himself in his little room. Light still streamed in through the windows, casting everything in a deep orange glow, but the sparse space felt sinister and lonely. He felt awkward, like he didn’t quite belong in it. He wondered if the dozens of former students before him felt the same on their first night.

He curled up in bed, but, just as predicted, sleep eluded him. His frazzled brain only settled slightly when he heard footsteps move through the hall. That familiar, heavy step passed by his door, stopping for a moment just outside before proceeding one more room down.

It was so much to process. He found himself wishing they could share a room, a bed, just like they had after Duscur. When his back had still been bleeding, and nothing but the presence of another could chase away the demons. Dedue was so close, he knew if he knocked he would be over in a heartbeat. His fingers grazed the wooden wall dividing their rooms, palm resting flat against the cool surface. Dedue’s hands had been large then, even though they were both young. He wondered what they would feel like settled between his fingers now that he had grown…

… But that was all a foolish fantasy, and there was no longer any place for that. He rolled over instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was originally only going to do one in game story chapter/event per chapter, but this just worked better broken up into two. Next chapter is mostly written so don't expect a long wait.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Don't expect too long a wait" FAMOUS LAST WORDS, I GUESS!

A knock at his door woke him long before sunrise. Putting on his uniform in the dark was a bigger challenge than he expected, but he did not want to risk fumbling around for matches and a candle. Best case scenario it might result in broken furniture, or in the worst case scenario a very large fire. He supposed he could wake up Dedue and ask him to light the candles for him, but he did not want to disturb his sleep if it was not absolutely necessary. As soon as he was ready he sleepily made his way down to the front gates of the monastery.

His fellow house leaders were already waiting for him there, along with their inexperienced professor and a company of four knights. Claude looked disheveled, with his cape wrinkled and bunched over his shoulder and his hair in a mess, but Edelgard looked as put together as ever.

He wondered if she remembered him. Judging by the curt nod she gave in greeting, he thought perhaps not. They’d been friends a very long time ago, and he was sure just as much had happened to her as it had to him. Or perhaps she simply wasn’t interested in rekindling anything between the two of them. He hoped not, though. That thought hurt the most of all.

As soon as they’d all made their greetings to each other the leader of the knights stepped forward. He was carrying three small cloth bags in his hands, which he promptly handed out to them.

_“Gooooooooood morning students!” _He boomed in a voice that rattled Dimitri to his core. It was not so much the tone, but the volume. The knight did not seem to notice the way his men covered their ears as he made his introductions and handed out his little parcels.

Dimitri pulled the drawstring and peeked inside. Each one contained their morning rations: some bread and dried jerky, perfect to eat while on the road.

The knight stared at them intensely, and waited until each of them had had a chance to look inside, nearly bursting with excitement, before he said his next piece.

“I am Alois. It’s a pleasure to… _ meat _ you.”

He leaned forward excitedly, and Dimitri laughed in spite of himself. His fellow house leaders looked confused, the knights standing behind Alois looked resigned, and Alois looked shocked yet delighted.

Dimitri barely noticed as he dug into the food in front of him. He hadn’t eaten very much the night before, it was only natural that he would be hungry. He did not think anyone could begrudge him for indulging a little and eating right away. After that the other knights handed out packs with camping supplies in them, one for each of them to carry. He couldn’t prove it, but Dimitri swore his was heavier than all the rest.

No matter. A good march had always been enough to shake the sleep from his limbs in the past... but if he thought that would be the case today then he was sorely mistaken. If anything his body felt even heavier than before, and he was fighting to keep his eyes open the whole way.

Their little procession was quiet aside from the head knight. It seemed that Dimitri’s little laugh earlier had only made him more intent on getting a reaction out of everyone else. He told ridiculous joke after ridiculous joke as they marched, and each one was worse than the last. In fact, they were getting so terrible they were almost funny again. Everyone else groaned each time so much as a snort came out of his nose in response.

This torture continued for quite some time, until the sun was fully over the horizon and the monastery was far in the distance.

Claude eventually sidled up beside him as they walked.

“I see you don’t have jokes in the Kingdom.”

“I do not find them funny.”

“Sooo why are you-”

Dimitri turned to face him and the butt of his lance nearly smacked Claude in the stomach.

He jumped back with an indignant shout of, “Hey! Watch where you’re swingin’ that thing, will ya?”

“My apologies! I have to say I am not quite feeling myself today.”

Claude raised his hands in surrender, then fell a few feet back, safely out of lance range.

Leave it to him to almost cause an international incident. At least Claude would have only been hit with the nonlethal part of his weapon.

Really, he wished he knew what was wrong with him today. Each trudging step away from the monastery was a herculean task, and his lance hung heavily from his hand at his side as he marched. He almost smacked Claude a number of times more before he finally wised up and started walking a few extra paces back.

It was shaping up to be a miserable experience. Edelgard looked at him with something akin to pity, or maybe it was disdain. By the way her nose scrunched up whenever he got too close, it must have been the latter.

And _ Goddess _ his head was starting to hurt. But they finally, _ finally _reached their destination: a small clearing in the woods, difficult to spot through the underbrush and very defensible. An excellent place to set up camp.

“Alright!” Alois boomed again, “We should start by setting up camp, then when it’s a bit lighter we can start our training.”

Dimitri dropped his pack immediately, tent poles rattling as they hit the ground. Even with the burden gone his legs still felt leaden, but he pulled the poles out and started setting them aside.

They had eight tents, each one large enough to fit two people, though everyone had their own. Lots of heavy metal poles and flimsy canvas; it was all practically paper and butter under his hands, but he did his best to be delicate.

He was just starting to figure how they would all go together when-

“Hey, your highness!” Claude called from right behind him, startling him.

_ Snap! _

Well, so much for that plan.

“Woah, did you just..?”

“I apologize!” He sputtered out, scrambling to grab the rolling pieces of metal before they got away from him and were lost to the underbrush.

“I suppose that’s one tent lost,” Edelgard sighed.

“Hey, it’s not so bad. I, for one, would not mind sharing with either of you,” Claude offered with a wink.

Dimitri cocked his head to the side.

“I do not think they would allow the two of us to share, but I am happy you are okay sharing with Edelgard.”

“That wasn’t the… Nevermind. Maybe you should just let us put up the tents, eh?”

And so he was relegated to polishing the weapons, which suited him just fine.

It was very easy to lose himself in it, and after a little while he couldn’t hear Claude’s ridiculous banter or Edelgard’s exasperated little sighs.

He was almost finished when the energy around him shifted. He glanced up. All of the knights were suddenly on guard, forming a neat little semi-circle around them. Another moment of listening and Dimtiri could hear what had set them off: heavy boots snapping twigs and rustling leaves. Definitely not more of the knights. They had not been informed of any extra assistance, and they didn’t klank like the metal boots the knights wore would. 

He could just barely see them through the trees—bandits by the looks of them—steadily making their way through the forest toward the little village nearby, apparently unperturbed by the amount of noise they made. In spite of his physical weakness he raised his lance at the ready. His fellow students did the same with their weapons beside him.

“Well kids, looks like we’re going to be doing more than just training exercises,” Alois said, grabbing his weapon. “Stay behind us.”

Dimitri took a step forward, knuckles white around his lance. That steady _ thumping _of anticipation already filled his blood, spiking his adrenaline. Suddenly his weak legs didn’t seem like so much of a problem. Bandits who would attack innocent villagers, well… There wasn’t a place in the world for people like that, was there?

They rushed forward through the trees, with no care for the noise they made.

“Shit, it’s the Knights of Seiros!” one in the back yelled to warn his friends.

The ruffians went from trudging steadily to running at a full sprint, veering away from the village and toward the thicker areas of the forest to try and lose their tail.

They gave chase, but the bandits were able to move much faster than them, and appeared to be far more familiar with the terrain. They ducked easily through the trees, unencumbered by heavy armor. It wasn’t long before they lost sight of them completely.

Dimitri lowered his lance in defeat. He could still hear their footsteps quietly a ways off, but it was impossible to tell just how close they were or in just what direction they had gone.

“It’s no use,” Alois said, “they’ve gone, or they’re trying to set up an ambush.”

“What if they come back after we’ve left?” Dimitri asked. The village… it could be in trouble if they decided to come back.

“I will send word to Lady Rhea. I think for now it would be best if we got the three of you back to the monastery where it’s safe.”

He sighed. Wonderful, another long march.

* * *

He knew Alois sent word ahead, but he did not think it would get back to the students as well. Someone must have informed their classmates, though, because even though they were not slated to return until the next day, Dedue and Edelgard’s shadow met their little group at the front gate.

“You are unharmed?” Dedue demanded, eyebrows furrowed. To the casual observer it might have seemed unconcerned, but to Dimitri that scrunched brow screamed of anxiety. Dedue must be just barely holding himself back from grabbing him and doing a full physical himself.

“Not even a scratch.”

In truth he’d gained a scrape or two from the branches, but saying so would have him rushed to the infirmary before the sentence was even out of his mouth. It wasn’t anything to worry about, nothing he couldn’t patch up in his own room with a salve and a bandage.

“I am just tired,” he added when Dedue seemed unconvinced.

“You should rest.”

“And waste the rest of the day? I think not.”

The sluggishness he’d felt that morning had subsided a bit, though he was nowhere near his normal energy levels. Still, it wouldn’t do for a prince to be caught napping in the middle of the day. He would head to the training grounds and see if he could get a little exercise in to make up for the missed opportunity.

“Is anyone at the training grounds? I could use a sparring partner.”

“I believe Felix and Ingrid are there.”

“Wonderful, thank you Dedue.”

Dedue fell in line behind him as he headed toward the training grounds, and Dimitri had to bite his tongue. How many times had they discussed this? He did not need Dedue to call him by name, but he had hoped Dedue would at least walk beside him when they arrived at the monastery, just like he did in private back home.

As expected, the Lions had laid claim to the training grounds immediately. It was practically Officer’s Academy tradition at this point, according to Rodrigue.

However, when they arrived there did not appear to me buch training going on. There was a crowd of people all circled around something. He caught sight of Ingrid and Sylvain standing near the front and elbowed his way through the small crowd to stand beside them.

Felix stood at the center of it all, along with an alpha Dimitri couldn’t recall ever learning the name of. They stood facing each other, training swords already drawn in anticipation of a fight.

“What’s going on?”

“Alphas are all hopeless,” Ingrid shrugged her shoulders.

“Hey! I’m standing right here!” Sylvain protested good-naturedly, earning him a smack on the arm.

“Exactly.”

“Ouch.” He rubbed his arm, even though they all knew the hit hadn’t been that hard. “Anyways, looks like another man is challenging Felix for his title of future queen of Faerghus.”

“Future… Goddess, what are you on about? Who insinuated that I would be marrying _ Felix? _”

Relationships between omegas weren’t uncommon in the Kingdom, but it was hardly an option for him. The throne needed heirs, and it was just a fact that a union between two omegas would produce none.

“I agree, you don’t really seem to be his type– Ow, Ingrid!”

“Stop joking around! They actually challenged Sylvain,” she cut in smoothly. They were too used to this dynamic to pay Sylvain’s grumbling any mind. “Challenging each other for your hand has become quite the sport for alphas.”

“And Felix is fighting because..?”

“He thinks I’d lose.”

“He _ knows _you would lose. Maybe if you didn’t slack so much on your training.”

“Oh Ingrid, you wound me so!”

“And they think this will impress me?” He was more than a little miffed that this had been occurring for months under his nose. “Why not ask me? I am perfectly capable of defending my own hand.”

“But your highness, that would be _ improper!” _Sylvain mock-gasped, to the general un-amusement of himself and Ingrid. “Geez, tough crowd today.”

Tournaments to determine the alpha most worthy of the king’s hand were something of an archaic tradition in Faerghus. It was something his ancestors had long done away with, though they still held them sometimes purely for entertainment. The winner did not determine the king’s future mate anymore, but it could go a long way to impressing him if there were multiple worthy suitors. Still, many more people participated merely for the joy of dueling. Rodrigue himself had participated in the tourney held for his father, even though he already had a mate at the time.

Dimitri wasn’t certain what this impromptu fight was supposed to prove. He wasn’t even supposed to be there to see it! Besides, people with martial skills were a dime a dozen in Faerghus. In a society where one learned to wield a blade before they learned to read that kind of talent just came with the territory. Anyone who could beat the heir to House Fraldarius was impressive, sure, but there were plenty of people capable of it.

This man, however, was not one of them. It could barely even be called a fight, really. It was over in the blink of an eye, just a few jabs and parries and the alpha’s sword was lying on the ground.

“Run along before you embarrass yourself even more.” Felix spat, “I’ve no time to waste on weaklings like you.”

The other student scampered out of the training grounds quickly after that, and the small band of onlookers dispersed under Felix’s icy glare. Once they were all gone his eyes turned to their little group.

“Hey boar!” he spat. “Manage your own suitors, will you?”

“Aw c’mon Felix, lighten up!” Sylvain cut in. “You like the challenge, don’t you?”

“Perhaps if any of them were actually a challenge. The future of Faerghus certainly is bleak if these are the only men you can attract,” he scoffed.

Dimitri fingered the gland on his neck absently. He still wasn’t used to it… he had _ suitors _ now. Dozens of alphas from across the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus sent in letters by the day to plead for a place at his side. He supposed that someday he would be expected to take one of those offers… but…

He glanced sidelong at Dedue, ever by his side. He never seemed perturbed by any of this, which is what made it so damn frustrating.

“Your highness, are you alright?” Ingrid asked

“... Hm? Yes, I’m fine.” His eyes snapped back into focus. Apparently he’d been staring just a little too long at the training sword lying prone on the ground. His fingers slid from his neck to pinch the bridge of his nose. All of the scents were blending together again and stirring his brain around in his skull. “On second thought, I have some studying to do.”

“Studying? Geez you are a stick in the mud, classes haven’t even started yet!” Sylvain teased.

“Are you sure you do not want to go to the infirmary?” Dedue asked.

“That won’t be necessary. Please, continue training without me.”

“Oooooor we use this opportunity to head into town. Come on Felix, how about it? I’m sure there’ll be cute girls!”

Sylvain placed his hands on Felix’s shoulders, already steering him in the direction of the gates.

“Do what you want.” He growled, harsher than usual.

Dimitri glanced quickly between his two childhood friends. If he didn’t know any better, he might have said Felix looked jealous.

Sylvain just laughed it off.

“Sure, but come on. It’ll be fun!”

He pulled the shorter man away by the arm. Felix rolled his eyes, but allowed himself to be dragged off.

Dimitri left Dedue and Ingrid there—hopefully they would be able to get along to train together—but he didn’t miss the worried glances they shot him as he walked away.

He made his way quickly back to the dorms and settled in his room. He only meant to sit down on his bed long enough to take his boots off, but the second he removed them he couldn’t keep his eyes open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I make no more promises about the frequency of updates lmao.

**Author's Note:**

> And thus I begin the campaign to infect this fandom with Omegaverse as well!
> 
> TW: Attempted sexual assault/Omegaverse typical Dubcon


End file.
